1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water current and air bubble generating apparatus for bath and particularly to an apparatus for generating air bubbles in the hot water in a bathtub by sending jet current of water thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, various bathing methods have been developed for the purpose of securing good health. As one of them, there is known a bathing method using a water current and air bubble generating apparatus in which countless fine air bubbles are generated by sending jet current of water into the hot water. It is known that the above stated air bubbles produce the same effect as the ultrasonic wave in a frequency range of 20 to 40 KHz, whereby various healthful effects such as warming, massage and washing are brought about. Such a conventional water current and air bubble generating apparatus is generally structured in a manner in which a pump driven by a motor sucks up the hot water in a bathtub and returns it as jet current into the hot water in the bathtub. Such a conventional water current and air bubble generating apparatus 90 for bath is installed in a bathroom by fixing it to the wall 2 or the like of the bathroom by means of screws or the like, as shown in FIG. 15.
However, since the conventional water current and air bubble generating apparatus 90 for bath is installed fixedly onto the wall or the like of a bathroom as described above, installation work is required and it takes much time and involves considerable cost.
In addition, when jet currents are shot out from the jet nozzles of the conventional water current and air bubble generating apparatus 90 for bath, there is produced such a loud noise that a person in the bathroom can hardly hear what another person in the bathroom is saying. In order to reduce this noise, a cylinder 4 is provided to surround each jet nozzle 3 as shown in FIG. 16. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, a gap 5 is formed between each cylinder 4 and the circumference of the associated jet nozzle 3 so that air flows into each cylinder 4 from the inside of the main body case 6. The lower end of each cylinder 4 is preferably located at a level a little lower than the water surface 7 in the bathtub 1 so that the noise deadening effect can be secured. Those cylinders 4 serve to decrease the noise produced by the collision of the jet currents with the water surface 7 to such a degree that conversation in the bathroom can be made without inconvenience.
However, once the conventional water current and air bubble generating apparatus shown in FIG. 16 has been installed, the height of the jet nozzles 3 and the height of the cylinders 4 can not be changed. Consequently, it is difficult to always position the lower ends of the cylinders 4 at a level a little lower than the water surface according to the change of the water surface 7 and therefore, it is difficult for the cylinders 4 to always exhibit the sound deadening effect.